Educating students on the behavioral and psychological aspects of romance scam victimization via a social engineering competition

The online dating sector generated 2.98 billion USD in 2023 and is projected to reach about 3.6 billion USD by 2025. Within this space, romance scams impose substantial financial losses, estimated at 1.3 billion USD in 2022, and they also inflict emotional and psychological harm on those affected. The article reports on findings from a 2023 Romance Scam and Social Engineering Competition (RSSEC), which introduced students to the behavioral and psychological dimensions of romance fraud and its broader implications for cybersecurity and victim safety. The competition was designed to illuminate how victims experience social engineering across the stages of a romance scam and to place participants in dual roles: as fraud fighters who interact with victims with respect and empathy, and as observers of scammers who rely on social engineering tricks. The paper details the design of the event, including elements that incorporated artificial intelligence, along with its overall structure and logistical setup. It also shares insights into what students learned about the use of psychological persuasion to manipulate victims during the scam process and about their capacity to collaborate effectively as defenders against fraud. Findings show that participants developed a clearer understanding of how psychological persuasion operates within romance scams and demonstrated the ability to work cohesively as a team of fraud fighters. The RSSEC afforded students the opportunity to treat scam victims with dignity by applying tactical empathy, a key capability for appreciating the behavioral and psychological aspects involved in cybercrime victimization. Overall, the study highlights how experiential competition formats can advance awareness of social engineering tactics and promote ethical, victim-centered responses among future professionals in the field.